Nesting slide drawer receptacle



April 17, 1962 M. GOTTSEGEN 3,030,163

NESTING SLIDE DRAWER RECEPTACLE Filed Aug. 15, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y//I/l/l/I 2 i INVENTOR. MARTF-N GOTTSEGEN APll 17, 1962 M. Go'rTsEGl-:N 3,030,163

NESTING SLIDE DRAWER RECEPTACLE Filed Aug. l5, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. MARTEN GoTTseGEN BY www M York Fiied Aug. 15, 1960, Ser. No. 49,559 4 Claims. (Cl. S12-lill) This invention relates to storage receptacles and more particularly to slide drawer receptacles which may be used individually to store articles such as shoes, or other Wearing apparel, and which receptacles may also be nested to afford a chest of drawers. Specifically the invention is primarily directed to the nesting means of said receptacle.

In recent years slide drawer boxes or receptacles, made of clear plastic have been introduced for storing articles such as shoes and the like, and similar receptacles of other dimensions have likewise been introduced for storing other articles of apparel, for example lingerie. These individual boxes or containers usually comprise an opentop drawer designed to slide into an accommodating frame work having a closed top. Thus the top of the accommodating frame work affords the top closure or cover for the receptacle itself. These individual boxes were usually stored haphazardly in closets and the like and were for that reason objectionable since they were not conducive to maintaining orderly, readily accessible storage means.

For the aforementioned reasons attempts have been made to aford means for stacking or nesting at least boxes of the same dimensions. These nestable boxes have not proven very satisfactory for many reasons, such as for example the nesting means adversely affected the function of the boxes as individual containers.

' Usually the nesting means comprised projections that Were adapted to cooperate with complementary interlocking means, but said projections and inter-locking means were so designed as to interfere with the convenient disassembly of the nest of boxes when it was desired to use the same individually. Moreover, the projections were so designed and necessarily positioned that excessive inadvertent breakage and mutilation of the same resulted.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a nestable slide drawer container which overcomes all of the disadvantages mentioned hereinabove.

Although, as previously stated, nestable slide drawer receptacles have been introduced heretofore, the same were capable of nesting only boxes or receptacles of the exact same dimensions and type. Thus, only shoe boxes of identical size were capable of being so nested together. Shoe boxes and lingerie boxes could not heretofore be nested to afford a single chest of drawers capable of storing a wide variety of articles.

It is therefore another important object of this invention to afford means incorporated into the individual containers or receptacles enabling said receptacles of various dimensions and types to be nested, thereby affording a unitary chest of storage drawers.

A further object is to provide a nestable slide drawer receptacle which may be readily used individually as a single storage receptacle or may as readily and conveniently be used as a single unit in a nest or chest of drawers.

Yet another object is to afford nestable means for incorporation in a slide drawer receptacle which is less conducive to being broken or otherwise made inoperative than those heretofore afforded.

Yet a further object is to provide a pull drawer nestable receptacle which when assembled forms a relatively sturdy, firmly supported chest of drawers, without howiin@ dihih ever interfering with the convenience or ease of disassembling said chest to aord individual storage boxes or receptacles if so desired.

It will be appreciated that because of the nature of the function and use of the subject type of receptacle the cost of the same is an important factor. It is therefore important that the design and construction of the same be such that the addition of the nesting means will not materially increase tbe over-all cost of the article. It is therefore still a further object to so design and construct the receptacle and the nesting means that the incorporation of said nesting means into the over-all construction does not materially increase the over-all cost of the receptacle.

Finally, another important object is to provide a nestable slide drawer receptacle of simple inexpensive construction yet sturdy, attractive and highly utilitarian.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of cetrain novel features of construction, arrangement and a combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and

particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention For the purpose of facilitating an understanding ofA my invention, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, my invention, its mode of construction, assembly and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.

Referring to the drawings in which the same characters of reference are employed to indicate corresponding or similar lparts throughout the several figures of the FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on thev plane of line 3--3 in FIG. l of the drawings again with central portions thereof broken away to facilitate iliustration;

FG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective exploded View with portions broken away to illustrate a detail of construction;

FG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view showing the cooperation of the nesting means;

FiG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating the cooperation of the nesting means;

FfG. 7 is a perspective view of the .box cover and accommodating framework showing also the nesting means as viewed from the bottom; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary exploded View showing in detail the construction of the bottom support and nesting means.

Turning now to the several figures of the drawings, attention is first directed to FIG. l of the drawings in which reference numeral lt) indicates generally a nest or chest of slideable receptacles or drawers comprising shoe box units l2 and lingerie boxes or units lid. As will be noted lingerie unit 1d is approximately twice the width of the shoe box unit f2 so that two shoe box units may be positioned side by side and nested below and/or above a single lingerie unit ld.

Each drawer or -box unit l2 or 14 comprises a krectangular pull-out drawer or box 16 adapted to lit in free sliding relationship within a combination support framework unit and cover member 18. Drawer 16 may be formed with a front wall 2t), a pair of side walls 22 and 24, a rear wall 26 and la bottom 28. A front handle such as 30 may be aiixed to the top of the front wall 20.

The cover and support member, as best illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawings, may comprise a top covered, but open bottom box-like member cut out Sides having a top wall 31, an inverted U-shaped rear member 32 and a pair of similarly shaped but more elongated side members such as 34. Both the side members 34 .and the rear member 32 are formed with a pair of spaced apart depending legs such as 36 connected by an integrally formed horizontally disposed top strip 38. It will be noted that at the rear end legs 36 of the respective side members 34 and front member 32 are joined to form an angular corner, the function of which will become apparent as the description proceeds.

As shown in FIGS. l, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the drawer 16 slides -into the bottom-opening enclosure afforded by the various members of the support ramework 1S so that the top wall 31 provides a cover for the drawer. To support the drawer in proper position a pair of parallel spaced support strips such as lttl are provided. These strips 4t), as shown in FIG. 8 of the drawings, comprise a ilat horizontally-positioned strip 42 with a vertically disposed strip 44 alxed or formed at the outer edge of the strip 42. The ends of the strip 44 are notched as at 46 to accommodate the lower ends of the vertical legs 36. It will thus be apparent that the bottom marginal side edges of the drawer 16 are supported by the strips 42 of the support member. The drawer is free to slide in and out since the `front end of the support member 18 is open, but the extent to which the drawer may be slid in is limited by the rear cutout wall member 32 of the support member 18.

To this point the description has primarily been directed to a sliding drawer receptacle or container which may be used individually. In order to permit the assembly or nesting of a plurality of such boxes or receptacles to afford a chest of drawers such as shown in IG. l of the drawings simple but effective nesting means is provided which will now be described in some detail.

Directing attention tirst to FIG. 8 of the drawings, it will be noted that the horizontal support strip 42 is positioned in spaced relationship with the bottom edge 48 of the vertical strip 44, and there is thus aiforded a segment or flange which depends and protrudes below the bottom of the strip 42. Cooperating end ilanges or strip segments 52 are provided at each end of the support strip 4t) so that the same cooperate with the strip 50 to provide a corner S4 at each end. The function of these corners will likewise be disclosed as the description proceeds.

Referring now to FIGS. l, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the operation of the sliding drawer arrangement is readily perceived. It will be noted that the parallel, depending, spaced-apart, channel-like enclosures aiforded by the depending channel-like segments 56 and 52 are adapted to t over the top of the drawer-supporting member 18 positioned therebelow so that said depending edges 5t) and 52 embrace the sides 34 of the supporting member 18. The corners 54 embrace the respective corners of the support member with the horizontal strips 42 resting on the top wall cover 31. When so positioned the boxes are effectively nested in substantially secure relationship with one unit supporting the other as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

As will be noted in FIG. 7 of the drawings, there are no cross members bracing or securing together the pairs of drawer support strips 40. Therefore the same are flexible enough to accommodate considerable variations in the width of the units positioned therebelow. Moreover, since the material used is a clear plastic material having considerable resilience or elasticity, each unit effectively clings or clamps to the adjacent segments of the sides, front and back of each unit positioned therebelow. As shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the bottom portion of the unit is tlexed outwardly a substantial amount suicient to effectively clamp over and fit the unit therebelow. The top portion however, maintains its dimension thereby insuring ready nesting of the receptacles.

The description of the operation or nesting of the receptacles up to this point has been concerned primarily with receptacles of substantially the same size and type: viz. shoe boxes. When it is desired to nest with the shoe boxes 12, other types of receptacles such as for example lingerie boxes 14, this may be accomplished readily because of a simple means incorporated in the top 31 of the lingerie box. As shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, this means comprises a longitudinal slot 56 formed in the center of the lingerie box cover 31. The width and depth of this slot is suicient to readily accommodate therein both depending segments 50 of the two shoe boxes positioned side by side in abutting relationship. The end ilanges 52 of course, protrude beyond the front and rear edges of the cover 31 and abut respective edges 58 of said cover. Of course the outer edges or nesting means of the two shoe box members 12 co-act with the top corner edges of the lingerie box 14 in the same manner described hereinabove in connection with the nesting of shoe boxes alone. Thus the same resilient clamping means is thereby alforded so that a chest or nest of receptacles comprising both shoe boxes and lingerie boxes may be readily assembled as illustrated in FIG. l of the drawings.

From the foregoing description and drawings, it should be apparent that I have provided an unique nestable slideable receptacle capable of being used individually or nested to form a chest of drawers. The nesting means is incorporated into the individual receptacle in such a manner that the same resists inadvertent excessive breakage, but, nevertheless, is capable of effectively maintaining its position in the nest or chest of drawers. Notwithstanding the same, the chest may be readily disassembled into its individual components by merely lifting one receptacle off of the one below the same. Moreover, means have been provided in the receptacles enabling receptacles of different sizes and types to be assembled or nested together. Thus, a single chest or nest of drawers may be constructed with individual receptacles of varying dimensions and types enabling `the same to be used for the storage of various articles such as for example, shoes, lingerie and the like,

It is believed that my invention, its mode of construction and assembly, and many of its advantages should be readily understood from the foregoing without further description, and it should also be manifest that while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural details are nevertheless capable of wide variation within the purview of my invention as delined in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A nestable slide drawer receptacle comprising an open-bottomed housing having a top wall, a pair of cutout side walls and a cut-out rear wall, each of said cutout walls having end legs and a combination support strip and nesting means atxed to the bottom of each pair of end legs of the cut-out side walls in parallel spaced apart relationship, said combination support strip and nesting means adapted to slidingly support a drawer thereon, said cut-out side walls being resilient whereby said nesting means may be laterally displaced for frictional engagement over the top of another supporting framework positioned therebeneath, said combination support strip and nesting means comprising a vertical strip having notched ends, a horizontal strip joined along one side to said vertical strip in a plane intermediate the height of said Vertical strip, whereby a portion of said vertical strip depends below said horizontal `strip, and said nesting means comprising said depending vertical strip portion and end strips depending from said horizontal strip, said end strips forming right angular corners with said depending vertical strip portion.

2. A nest of readily separable slide drawer receptacles, each of said receptacles comprising an open-bottomed channel-shaped supporting framework having a top cover, support strips for slideably supporting a drawer within said framework and beneath said top cover, and nesting means associated with said support strips, said nesting means being resiliently displaceable and adapted to ernbrace the upper side marginal edges of the receptacle positioned directly below the same, said supporting framework including a pair of resilient said walls and a rear wall each having a pair of spaced apart depending legs, one of said support strips mounted at the bottom of each pair of side wall legs, each of said support strips comprising a flat horizontal strip, and a Vertical strip atlixed to the outer edge of said horizontal strip, said nesting means comprising a depending portion of said vertical strip protruding below said horizontal strip and depending end strips positioned in abutting relationship with said depending portion of the vertical strip to aiord angular corners.

3. The nest of receptacles of claim 2 in which some of said receptacles are multiples of the width of other receptacles in said nest, said wider receptacles having portions of the top covers thereof formed with longitudinally extending grooves dimensioned and positioned to accommodate therein the adjacent depending portions of the vertical strips of the nesting means of a pair of narrower receptacles positioned side by side above said wider receptacle.

4. A nestable framework for accommodating a sliding drawer therein comprising, a top wall and a pair of side walls, said framework being of inverted U-shaped conguration and open at the bottom thereof, a pair of inwardly directed horizontal support strips secured to the bottom edges of said side walls, and nesting means depending from said support strips, said side walls being resilient whereby said nesting means may be laterally displaced to frictionally engage all of the top marginal edges of a similar framework positioned therebeneath, said nesting means comprising a channel-shaped strip depending from each of said support strips, and said channelshaped strips aiording an angular corner at each end of said support strips.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 188,075 Vannice May 31, 1960 460,252 Lehmann Sept. 29, 1891 1,076,116 Hatfield Oct. 2l, 1913 1,148,238 Kline Juiy 27, 1915 1,321,097 Gonzalez Nov. 11, 1919 1,329,616 Larson Feb, 3, 1920 2,323,957 Zalknd July 13, 1943 2,482,174 Hake Sept. 20, 1949 2,511,949 Simon June 20, 1950 2,559,203 Weiskopf July 31, 1951 2,811,404 Brooks Oct. 29, 1957 2,866,573 Gordon Dec. 30, 1958 

